Forgive my ignorance of the baitcaster style rods because I am still very new to them. But I have a theory about backlash? So basically everyone has told me to set my magnetics up so that my craws/jig n pigs will fall VERY slowly. However; when I do this I always get backlash, I figure because the line is still running out of the bail and I am not proficient at thumbing it at all. So I imagine I could just tighten it so the lure doesnt fall I will cast shorter, but it would be harder to backlash? Either way I cast only about 10ft with my baitcaster at the moment so it would not matter, should I do this to avoid backlash? Thanks!

you can but you are better to actually learn how to cast with your thumb just do it the way you are doing now and then when you feel comfortable loosen it a little and cast more till you feel comfortable again then loosen more....youll get there eventually and youll have the comfort there also

You can set your mag anywhere you want and it won't affect your fall, the fall is set with the tension knob under the drag star the cap at the end of the spool axle. the mag is set to stop most backlashes at the mid part of your cast, and if you have centrifugal this is used to aid the start of the cast, and the thumb is what makes it all work right!!!!   You should checkout the third thread down on this forum, "How To Set UP A Baitcaster"

Unlike some of us, we are not as smart as SirSnookalot who said, it's just a rod and reel and he learn it as a beginner fisherman with no one teaching him without any knowledge of it being hard at all.  Even to untangle the Dreaded Backlash.   

 

Here's some tip on not getting backlash.  Don't force the cast and cast it side way for starter.  What I mean is to turn your reel side way when you cast it.  Learn to pause the reel with your thumb. 

 

Here's how to set up your bait cast reel.

 

 

 

all great answers, but this turning the reel to the side fixed my problem which was probobaly causing backlash in the first place

I'm new to a baitcaster as well. I've been using a spinning reel for a while. One thing I noticed is that you don't want to whip the cast. This will cause your spool to turn way too fast resulting in a backlash.

Slow your cast down. Learn to cast smoothly at first and don't worry about distance. Get the motion and I think most importantly the release point of your cast depending on your bait used.

Make sure your spool tension knob isn't too loose for the bait your using. Lots of vids on using one. It takes practice like anything else and that's really the only way to get through that learning curve.